My downstairs neighbors were leaving to run some errands a few minutes ago and were kind enough to bring me today's mail before they left. Atop the stack was this month's SWAT magazine. Like I do every month, I dropped the book I was reading and popped the magazine open to go look for the Pat Rogers article. Instead, the magazine fell right open to a beautiful sight...
A two-page color glossy photo of Jim Zumbo blazing away with a stubby M-16 variant on full auto, grinning like a kid on Christmas morning.
The accompanying nine-page article covered the whole back story of the Zumbo/Outdoor Life debacle from Mr. Zumbo's point of view; his current, much-changed feelings on the topic; and the results of him taking a tactical carbine course from none other than Pat Rogers. I started the article with, I admit, a bit of a smirk on my face, and finished it with a grin only slightly smaller than the one Mr. Zumbo was wearing while he let rip with the buzz gun. Thank you, Mr. Zumbo. And thank you Ted Nugent, Denny Hansen, Pat Rogers, and Rich Lucibella. This was one of the most happy-making things I've read in a while.
If y'all blog readers don't subscribe, you should, or at least pick up a trophy copy on the news stands when it shows up there soon. Behold the power of the intaw3bz, indeed... :)
Call me vindictive or anything else, but here's the thing that I can't get past with the Zumbo affair: it's the appalling ignorance and outright stupidity coupled with the strutting conviction (of nonsense) with which this man of many decades of firearms experience did what he did. Put that together with the general political climate surrounding these affairs -- of which only a walking rutabaga could have been ignorant -- and it was like watching a savant knock out a piano concerto, only to realize that he cannot responsibly manage another single thing in his whole life.
ReplyDelete"My god... this person actually needs a keeper. What on earth is he going to say or do next?"
Now, this is only me, but I say that his sudden grasp of a good full-auto time in no way convinces me that he's got his principles and implications integrated and squared-away.
Funny, before the big flap I couldn't have told you who Zumbo was. I don't know if he's had an epiphany on the issue, but he wouldn't be the first to be seduced by the lure of full auto fun. Time will tell. I'll be convinced if I see him at Knob Creek!
ReplyDelete"Now, this is only me, but I say that his sudden grasp of a good full-auto time in no way convinces me that he's got his principles and implications integrated and squared-away."
ReplyDeleteNo, but what he said in his own words in nine pages convinced me. I'm more than satisfied.
He did damage he couldn't undo with 900 pages. Sorry, but no pass on this one.
ReplyDeleteThere is no greater zealot than the newly converted. I'm willing to give the guy a chance.
ReplyDeleteI will have to look for the issue when it's out on the stand not being a subscriber. Not fair to say too much until then.
ReplyDeleteI will say this, "terrorist rifle" comments from those who should know better fall into the same category as network news anchors who refer to semiautomatic military style rifles as "heavy machineguns." Misnomers like that only serve to fuel the fears of those on the outside who have no idea what the difference is to begin with and certainly wouldn't want "terrorist rifles" and "heavy machineguns" in the hands of their next door neighbor. Especially when it's folks who John Q quite naturally assumes know what they're talking about making such noises.
Just my 2 cents this evening.
I'd grab a copy, but I have yet to see a news stand or book store that stocks ANY gun-mags here in Marx-ichusettes. I think they're afeared that some children might read it and become brainwashed...
ReplyDeleteStill, while I do take EVERYTHING Zumbo says with Caution (Is he saying it because he means it, or is he saying it because he wants back what he lost?)
I grew up in a liberal Household in a Moderatly liberal town (Portland Maine. Also known as Boston-lite) and I came of age as the liars were talking about the dangers of "Assault Weapons". I'd never held, let along SHOT a real gun....hell to date I don't even think I've ever shot a BB gun...
I didn't know anything, so I bought it. I know many people who still belive this nonsence, and I'm sure some of them have their bolt-action rifle, or a shotgun in their attic or basement, and ONE box of ammo that has served them for the last 10+ years.
So I accept that people can be ignorant of the truth. I take no offence to this so long as they can also be receptive to their own misinformation.
"I'm more than satisfied."
ReplyDeleteAgain -- this is just me:
Personally, I can't imagine that.
I haven't read it, though, and I am not about to dismiss what you say about it, out-of-hand.
But I am a notorious hard-ass when it comes to the epistemology of stuff like this, which was my essential problem to begin with. When I say something like, "He should have known better," I use the emphasized word with extreme technical precision.
Indeed he should have, and I castigated him harshly for it at the time.
ReplyDeleteI do, however, believe that anyone can have a personal Road To Damascus experience.
"Zumbo, Zumbo; why doest thou persecute me?" ;)
{cackle}
ReplyDeleteLook; I'm all for redemption. It's an enormous value to me. But I always try to be careful to never give it away.
He's got a long row to hoe with me.